Military

On Friday the two youngest girls and I went on a school field trip. This field trip wasn’t just as simple as going to the local zoo or apple orchard. This field trip we went to a Polish Army training base and learned out about how they train and what kind of equipment they use along with 700+ other kids. This I would have to say this was IS the coolest field trip that I have been on in the 13 years I have had kids in school.

The local news station TVP-Bydgoszcz was there as well, doing a segment for the nightly news. Yes, it is in Polish but a few seconds of it is in English because I got interviewed and my Polish language skills is not up to a conversation level yet. Click HERE to see the clip.

Below are just a FEW of the pictures that I took of the trip.

Of course the little ones don’t care about bullets they would rather look for rocks!

Local TV crew doing interviews.

Now the fighting is done so out go the kids to find the shell casings.

22 years ago my husband decided to enlist in the United States Air Force. But luckily at his very first military assignment to Minot, North Dakota, he met me and swept me off of my feet and we fell madly in love. Well over the last 20 years that we have been married the Air Force has been really good to us by sending us to Germany, Panama, The Netherlands, Florida, Illionis, and Nebraska. But unfortunately every chapter must come to an end and as of today, this chapter of our lives is done. My husband is offically retired from the United State Air Force after 22 years of service, on March 1st, 2012. Most people when they retire from the military do a retirement ceremony. We did one for Jim in November right before left to move here to Poland to start our next chapter of our lives. So for all of those friends and family that are reading this, “THANK YOU,” for making the 22 years of Jim’s career a GREAT one! And to my husband when he reads this, “I am so proud of you for the last 22 years of service that you did in the Air Force and I love you!”

Here are few of the pictures of the day out of the 250 that were taken.

Jim and I.

Us and our friend Steve.

Family picture time!

Guess who finally woke up?

Our dear neighbor, Uma Atie who we thought more of as our grandma getting her “Thank You” gift.

Jim giving me a necklace as my “Thank You.”

Our oldest daughter, Lydia, getting a necklace from Jim to say “thanks” for having to go through all that she has.

Jim giving his speech.

Our friends Mike and Kandice, oh the stories they could tell you about us!

It is hard to believe the dear friends we made over the 6 years we lived there!

Jim giving his speech. I love man in uniform!!

Jim being presented his retirement flag by his Canadian military friend. I love working in an international community.

The kids gift to Jim.

The hardest part of the ceremony, me pinning Jim with his retirement pin. Yes there were tears.

I got what is the Spouse Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Air Force.

One of the many certificates he got throughout the ceremony.

Jim and our great friend Steve who was the retiring officer of the ceremony.

Our littlest slept through most of the entire ceremony.

I still have his basic training ID card so we had to have some fun with it on the cake.

Cake anyone? Yes, I know it is bulging on the side. I add just a bit to much lemon curd in it.

The shadowbox we had custom made for Jim.

2 of Jim’s cohorts in crime during marching season!

Jim giving his supervisors an inside joke.

I LOVE that smile. I melt every time!!!!

The receiving line.

Jim’s way of saying “thanks” to Steve for helping with the ceremony.

So what is one of the proudest moments you have of your spouse or loved one?

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